AJKD and the Proposed Rule for Prospective ESRD Payment

This month the American Journal of Kidney Disease (AJKD) has six editorials regarding the 2009 proposed rule for the prospective ESRD payment.

The six editorials spread out over twenty pages of the journal are well worth reviewing. After an initial overview there are five more editorials from different perspectives:

•  Large Dialysis Organization
• Medium Sized Dialysis Organization
• Small For-Profit Dialysis Organization
• Small Not-For-Profit Dialysis Organization
• Forum of ESRD Networks

Responses to the prospective payment system (PPS) have been submitted, and CMS will consider many of these advantages and disadvantages as they craft their final version of the proposed rule. The points made above and in the accompanying editorials only touch on some of the remarkable issues that have arisen from the proposed payment system for ESRD care, all of which will require both hard work and innovation to practically implement. The commentary contained within this series intends to assists with the upcoming debate and helps to create the best possible system to provide dialysis care.